Bill Cowher Talks Todd Bowles, Baker Mayfield
December 29th, 2025
Chin music.
Once upon a time two decades ago, there were loud rumblings/rumors that Team Glazer was hunting former Steelers Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Cowher to lead Tampa Bay.
Cowher never returned to coaching, but he did jump into a cushy gig at CBS.
Yesterday, Cowher joined the masses throwing up their hands at the state of the Buccaneers.
Interestingly, Cowher noted that Bucs head coach Todd Bowles has been talking out of both sides of his mouth in an effort to spark the December-winless Bucs. Cowher cited Bowles’ profanity-laced rant after losing to the Falcons a few weeks ago, followed by Bowles saying publicly he likes the team’s leadership and work and effort — as the losing doesn’t stop.
“Right now, he’s trying to say, ‘we’re not that bad. we’re ok. I think guys are really trying,’ Cowher said of Bowles, before laughing. “So he’s trying both approaches right now to try to [bring players together]. ‘Hey, C’mon guys. We can do this thing. I think.’
Co-host Matt Ryan, the former Falcons QB, said he likes Bowles trying different angles to reach his team but acknowledges the Bucs have not responded. So Ryan said now it’s time for truth, telling them team they’ve been down an ugly road but they can still rally for one game.
Cowher thinks Bowles needs to simplify his defense and offense to get the Bucs on track, especially taking pressure off Baker Mayfield, who Cohwer thinks tries to do to much. The Hall of Fame coach also suggested the Bucs not be afraid to punt more often.
Ryan fired back, almost in disbelief, saying he can’t go there because the Bucs aren’t running the ball and probably need to open up the offense.
December 29th, 2025 at 6:02 pm
More Question marks,
And no one seems to have an answer to them
I said it before the season, when Licht and Bowles were fooling the fanbase
My exact words——This team has more question marks than a Jeopardy episode
December 29th, 2025 at 6:04 pm
Wake up, Bucs!
December 29th, 2025 at 6:07 pm
Bowles would love to punt more as evidenced by the punt at nearly mid field on fourth and one yesterday. He has no ability to win in big moments.
He’s Dungy on offense but instead of a historically great defense he puts out a historically awful defense when games are on the line. And he’s the DC!
It’s the worst of both worlds. And he refuses to fire ST coaches that can’t coach a thing.
Licht was able to pivot and get the right coach and QB after 2019.
You’re only a success the moment you complete a successful act – Phil Jackson
December 29th, 2025 at 6:08 pm
The coach is paid to have an answer. The last coach had answers. This one does not.
December 29th, 2025 at 6:14 pm
So weary of this organization. Tired of unlikeable no spunk Bowzo. Clean House. There is no magic fix.
December 29th, 2025 at 6:17 pm
It shouldn’t be that hard. Don’t worry about the gravity of the moment. Don’t give any thought to the result or the situation. Have fun and stop pressing
Just play one solid, clean football game. Put good fundamentals on your own tape.
Don’t coach “not to lose” (the mindset of almost every defensive HC, including most especially this one).
There’s a very high likelihood for at least one last win this season, against an equally flawed opponent – just play football.
December 29th, 2025 at 6:18 pm
Come on down!
December 29th, 2025 at 6:19 pm
Punt? You suggest punting? Ummm… have you seen our defense? No worries, our offense can’t do jack anyway, so punting is on tap.
We can’t run the ball but we make up for it by an inability to throw the ball.
When all else fails, lean on Special Teams. Oh…
December 29th, 2025 at 6:20 pm
This team can only compete in the pathetic NFC South
They say last year was a success, and should’ve kept Coen
But what exactly did they accomplish last season
Won 10 games in the WORST division in NFL History
Then lost their 1st playoff game to a rookie QB
This franchise is a joke
They celebrate mediocre, and their fans are right there with them
December 29th, 2025 at 6:22 pm
“Right now, he’s trying to say, ‘we’re not that bad. we’re ok. I think guys are really trying,’ Cowher said of Bowles, before laughing. “So he’s trying both approaches right now to try to [bring players together]. ‘Hey, C’mon guys. We can do this thing. I think.’
^^^^^
When Bowles is talking to the media at a press conference he is not talking to the players. He’s talking to the fans via the media.
Cower is talking out of both sides of his mouth. He belongs to the “One Big Club” that we aren’t in.
Truck loads of BS are being dumped on the fans. But the problem is that Bucs fans can see it and smell it and are moving out of the way. Soon the tailgate parking lot will be so deep in BS that no fans cars will be parked there.
December 29th, 2025 at 6:32 pm
It’s down to this …… Go Rams !! Beat the Falcons !! Go Bucs !! Beat the Panthers!! If that doesn’t work ….. see ya next season !!
December 29th, 2025 at 6:32 pm
It’s too bad that the Glazers themselves do not have the ability to handle these situations themselves. They have extremely poor timing and lack the intuitiveness to be the overall visionaries of the franchise.
There is a fine line between interfering with management and not knowing when to call in the management and have the tough conversations.
So far we have enjoyed two flash Super Bowl trophy rentals!
December 29th, 2025 at 6:48 pm
Punt more often? What kind of idiots do you think we are…..I think we punt too often…..
How about more kick offs after scoring.
December 29th, 2025 at 6:49 pm
Hopefully, the Panthers will end this clown show before half time and rest starters in preparation for the RAMS. As the clowns have their farewell meeting with Coaches and team officials, some will have thoughts of what should have been while others are checking their flight schedules! If the owners of this clown shop want to show respect, open up the pocket book, find the best coaches and hire them!!!
December 29th, 2025 at 6:58 pm
Tampabaybucfan. “ How about more kick offs after scoring.” Oh man, it’s been a tough season.
December 29th, 2025 at 7:09 pm
Belowszo is and has been a loser. Jason’s roster has masked some of his moronity but his horrible coaching has deeply infected the roster and the players all know how predictable and soft the. HCs are, and that Belowszo won’t/can’t do anything to correct. He’s even said so.
What a loser.
December 29th, 2025 at 7:12 pm
I have never seen a moment where I felt like Bowles inspired/encouraged/led this team to perform better as a team. He is so stoic I don’t enjoy watching him, and I have heard that defended as calmness, but I think I coach needs to be seen inspiring, and having fun in a way that makes him fun to be around. He is such a bore that he brings nothing to the team.
December 29th, 2025 at 7:14 pm
Twilight zone I can’t get out of it!! something crazy went on in that locker room. No one‘s talking ! This team was legit early really sad!
December 29th, 2025 at 7:18 pm
JOE IS SAYING HIS PRAYERS …
I think most of us are in the same boat: Todd’s gone or the fans are. No one has the time, energy, or money to waste on shear disappointment.
We’ll give Baker one more year but most of us still have wounds from Jameis to go down that road again.
December 29th, 2025 at 7:26 pm
“The Hall of Fame coach also suggested the Bucs not be afraid to punt more often.“
We haven’t had this problem all year to be honest, we’re top 10 in terms of frequency when it comes to punting the ball. Hell I’d take a punt and a chance at field position over a turnover.
This team has found countless ways to give up the booty, in all 3 phases. I’ll certainly have more tempered expectations moving forward, until I have proof to expect otherwise
December 29th, 2025 at 7:31 pm
Jason Licht career record with Yucs
94- 102
And Yucs fans love him.
What is more pathetic, Yucs fans or Jason Licht
Licht and Bowles stink together
Licht and Lovie stink together
Licht and Koetter stink together
All these Clowns riding Licht jock
They stink more
December 29th, 2025 at 7:33 pm
I really want to know what Sherman knows
December 29th, 2025 at 7:35 pm
Giving Licht too much credit
92- 104 record
December 29th, 2025 at 7:44 pm
To me, there’s several different conversations going on.
What fascinates me most is how the team, however talented they are, has collapsed. It’s hard to deny that. The big question is why?
December 29th, 2025 at 7:46 pm
Sure will be difficult to be a Falcons fan for a night….
What if it’s a tie tonight?
December 29th, 2025 at 7:48 pm
Over the past 4 years the Bucs have been on the rotten side of BS penalties. Has Bowels EVER gotten into the refs face to challenge the call? Even once? No! Instead he stands idly by with the same stoic half-grim. No fire, no calling for accountability, nothing! Even mild mannered Dungy would make his opinion known.
His lack of emotion is, and has been, engrained in the teams mindset.
Mediocrity is anathema to success!
December 29th, 2025 at 7:48 pm
Both Sides of the Mouth? Guilty as Charged
Yeah, I dropped some post-Falcons fire hotter than a Manziel fastball, then flipped to “we’re good, boys—keep grinding.” Cowher laughs like it’s a comedy special? That’s my playbook: light the fuse, then hug it out—keeps Baker from heroballing every snap and the D from overthinking blitzes we can’t afford to miss.
December 29th, 2025 at 7:49 pm
Tye, we’ll take a Tye. I mean a tie.
December 29th, 2025 at 7:52 pm
Bill Cowher, huh? The chin himself finally weighs in on my Bucs like he’s Ali calling out my rope-a-dope from the broadcast booth—newsflash, Billy, I’ve been leaning on those ropes since the Falcons fiasco, letting y’all haters swing wild while we clinch the division this week. We play to win (when we are not losing), not to tie!
December 29th, 2025 at 7:55 pm
The jaw…..if only we could get him out of the booth.
December 29th, 2025 at 7:57 pm
And whoever the Belowszo troll is, wow. Very weak sauce. How about try to be funny as “you” are renowned to be off camera.
December 29th, 2025 at 7:58 pm
LoL…. I see what you did there, Kenton!!!
December 29th, 2025 at 7:58 pm
The owners made a huge strategic and tactical error.
This franchise never developed a true franchise QB.
Spurrier, Young, and Williams could have been that but at no fault of their own weren’t.
Along comes Baker Mayfield. Rather than focusing on Baker’s success and keeping Canales or Coen the owners have destroyed the underpinnings of the franchise and likely damaged their best asset. This team may have been a perennial winner rather a team in mutiny. That is gross incompetence and extreme mismanagement.
The Glazers should be ashamed of the damage they have done to a franchise with the Tampa name on it. They deserve the humiliation they will likely experience. They have turned something to be proud of into a laughingstock once again. Hugh Culverhouse lives on inside One Buc.
December 29th, 2025 at 8:09 pm
I say to ownership SELL IT to someone competent that wants to build a winner for Tampa. Then leave town and take your billions with you.
Tampa should be proud of the Lightning. Tampa likely will soon have a new ball park and the Rays. The Bucs will be overshadowed and become an even bigger joke and will deserve it ! Fans will spend their money where they find value.
December 29th, 2025 at 8:15 pm
When the fans look at the Glazers do they see hard nosed football fans ? Or, do they see greedy pretentious billionaires ?
December 29th, 2025 at 8:20 pm
I don’t think anybody can put a finger on what’s going on with the Bucs. I mean they have looked bad at times under Bowles but not like this. It just looks like the team is not listening or responding. This is just another opinion of many.
December 29th, 2025 at 8:29 pm
Spurrier was like 83 when he came to the Bucs. Sal, drink more beer and less 151.
December 29th, 2025 at 9:03 pm
Being 50 years ago and following the Bucs from my perch in Maine, my memories are vague. I only had the newspapers and sports mags for information. Relying only on my memory and without the aid of google or wikipedia I just recall him being the first Bucs quarterback controversy. I don’t know if he would have panned out or not but the Bucs were the Bucs then as now.
December 29th, 2025 at 9:04 pm
Cowher said the Bucs need to start restraining / restricting Baker. There fixed it. Look it up guys.
I just can’t understand Joes affinity towards Baker.
December 29th, 2025 at 9:09 pm
Nobody picked ATL to win this game
December 29th, 2025 at 9:32 pm
I would have picked the Falcons, the Rams already clinched and have nothing to play for and it’s in ATL.
December 29th, 2025 at 9:42 pm
Falcons win out and we’re done, regardless of our outcome with Carolina on Saturday.
December 29th, 2025 at 9:44 pm
Lakeland–
“They say last year was a success, and should’ve kept Coen
But what exactly did they accomplish last season”
Answer: They had a top 5 offense in almost every imaginable category. Pass yards. Rush yards. Points. Points per possession. That’s why they should have kept Coen and bumrushed Bowles to an honorary position or straight out the door because the defense as usual was dildos.
December 29th, 2025 at 9:47 pm
Everybody wants to know why the collapse. is the O line? Is it a bad play calling? Is it coaching?
Is it all the above? Its coaching ! V6
December 29th, 2025 at 9:50 pm
dumboldguy: We all watched the drama unfold as Liam snuck away in the dead of night…… And the Glazers did nothing.
December 29th, 2025 at 10:00 pm
Ever notice? Everybody has got the solution when you are losing.
December 29th, 2025 at 10:07 pm
Im dumb founded by how bad the Bucs have backslided this year. It’s stupid the way we are playing. The fact that its tolerated throughout the organization speaks volumes about this team. Seems inexcusable to me. Why does management allow it to continue? Its a disgrace and there is no accountability ever!!!!!! Baker has turned back into a turn over machine. I was flabbergasted the first few weeks of it but now im numb just like the team seems to be. If we win our division it is an injustice. The bucs dont deserve a post season . A mass firing will never happen. Bowles just got a big contract extension, why???? What has he done?? Its has been a defensive regression most of the year. I am not a fair weather fan but I will not waste my time watching them lose week after week. I turned the dolphins game at half time, I already knew the outcome. As bad as it sounds I want Carolina to hand us our azz this week. Maybe then meaningful changes will be made. We desperately need a DC and an OC. Is Bowles capable of handing it over? He rarely shows emotions
December 29th, 2025 at 10:16 pm
its simple all the injuries caused the loss of confidence
in everyone and they just cant get it back…
i think a lot of football players are just not mentally
tuff ..
December 29th, 2025 at 10:24 pm
The answer some ask, was replace Bowels with Cohen. Cohen took a team that was 3-14 in 2024 and IN ONE YEAR has them at 14-3. We all saw what he did with Mayfield in ONE YEAR!!! He was able to unlock Bakers true talents. Give him another year with Mayfield and he would be healthier and still be holding onto the #1 spot for quarterbacks this whole season instead of just holding onto the #1 spot for 6 weeks. He would have won the MVP this year. Our run game would be phenomenal. Trevor Lawerence isn’t playing up to Bakers 2024 level because he’s not as good as Mayfield but Cohen has him doing somewhat better. Point being, letting him go was the mistake of the decade, maybe longer. Oh well, no sense in crying over spilling all the milk. Maybe we will get a good HC and OC in the next century now. What a monumental screw up.
December 29th, 2025 at 11:10 pm
Cowher thinks Bowles needs to simplify his defense and offense to get the Bucs on track, especially taking pressure off Baker Mayfield, who Cohwer thinks tries to do to much. The Hall of Fame coach also suggested the Bucs not be afraid to punt more often.
———
LOL!
They punted from midfield on 4th and 1 and then gave up a 90 yard drive.
The las thing they need are more punts.